10 NFL 2015 Match-Ups With Personal Matters On The Line
3. The Return Of DeMarco: Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys
When: Sunday September 20, 2015 (9:25pm GMT)
This showdown will be one of the most talked about and anticipated of the whole regular season when old-friend DeMarco Murray returns to house that Jerry Jones built. It’s a shame that this match-up happens on week nine, but that shouldn’t steal away from its intrigue.
The primary question surrounding the Cowboys season is harboring on how effective their offense will run without the league's leading rusher Murray, who signed for divisional rivals Philadelphia Eagles. Murray was one of the main reasons why Dallas had the year they did last season, averaging 28.4 points per game. It may be an understatement, but Dallas will undoubtedly miss Murray’s running threat but should still manage to be competitive with the ball on the ground giving the colossal strength of their offensive line.
As much as the Eagles will benefit from the addition of Murray to their ground attack, there are still many questions lingering over their offensive prowess. This off-season saw them loss quarterback Nick Foles, who they replaced with Sam Bradford (who hasn't played in two-years), along with losing consistent performers RB LeSean McCoy and WR Jeremy Maclin. You’d be right in thinking coach Chip Kelly is a madman with seemingly no plan in place whatsoever. If it all works out, then consider Kelly a genius, albeit a crazy one. But if it all goes sideways, Kelly’s head will be primed for the chop.
The last time these two bitter rivals squared off was week fifteen of the regular season seeing the Cowboys come out on top of a high scoring, back-and-forth battle. Murray ran in two touchdowns with Cowboy wide-out Dez Bryant catching a career-best three touchdown haul. Expect more of the same again from the Cowboys; their offensive line knows how to stop Murray.